collins



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. G. COLLINS.

COMBINED HAND TRUCK AND WEIGHING SCALE. No. 391,453. Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. G. COLLINS.

GOMBINED HAND TRUCK AND WEIGHING SCALE.

Patented Oct. 28,1888.

NITED Srnrns PATENT EDWARD G. COLLINS, OF KENESAYV, NEBRASKA.

CQMSENED "iAi iQ TFiUCK AND NEiGHiNG SGALE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,453, dated Gctche1'23,l888.

Application filed ll arrh 15,1888. Serial 1Y0. 267.228. (X model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. COLLINS, of Kenesaw, in the county of Adams and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements inaGombined Hand- Truck and XVeighing-Scale; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in a combined hand-truck and weighing-scale.

On July 19, 1887, Letters Patent No.366,753 were issued to Albert A. Armitage, entitled combined hand-trucks and weighingscales. In said Letters Patent asupport was provided with a system of levers on which the truckbody was adapted to rest when the latter assumed a horizontal position, and a weightindicating device was so connected with the system of lovers that the weight of anything placed upon the platform of the truck could be determined.

The object of my present invention is to so simplify, construct, and arrange the several parts of the combined truck and weighingscale as to render its manufacture and use eminently practicable, and to increase its efficiency as a truck and its reliability as a scale.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the combined truck and scale in position to receive a load. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, the parts being in position to weigh. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section, showing one of the suspending-links in the leg. Fig. 6 is a partial cross-section on line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a partial crosssect-ion on line 7 '7 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 8 is a partial cross-section on line 8 8 of Fig. l. Fig. 9 is a partial cross-section on line 9 9 of Fi 3; and Fig-10 is a detail view, partly in sec tion, showing the attachment of the lever to the standardsupport at the front end of the truck.

The truck proper consists of pair of side rails, 1, united by cross-beams a to form a stout frame-work, and terminating rearwardly in a pair of handles, a, and a pair of supporting-wheels, B, secured to the frame A. a near the front end, as is usual. The ordinary lip. O, for the purpose of engaging the bottom of a box or truck to enable it to be tilted over onto the truck-frame, is also provided.

The wheels B are preferably mounted on stud-axles Z), or on the end of an arch axle, in order to allow free space between the wheels below the truck-frame, for purposes which will hereinafter appear.

A skeleton frame, preferably rectangular in shape, and consisting of the side rails D, crossties (Z, legs E, and standardbearings e, is constructed of such dimensions as to correspond with the width of the truclcframe, or substantially so, and has a length somewhat less than the truck-frame, exclusive of the bandles, as shown. The exact length, width, and shape of the skeleton frame are not, however, essential; but that which is shown is found to be desirable as far as exoerience has as yet demonstrated.

The legs E and standard-bearings c arepref erably formed of cast metal, and are provided with recesses F and respectively, in which are suspended links G, the upper ends of the links being hung in eyes g, secured to or formed integral with the tops of the legs and standards, and the sides and front webs, c, of the legs and standards forming a housing for the links.

To the lower ends of the links G are pivotally secured, on knileedge bearings g,the ends ofthe branches 7b and t oftwo bifurcated levers, H and l. The leversH and I extend in opposite directions from their pivotal bearings and overlap each other, the lever H extending forwardly to a point about midway of the length of the truck-body, and the lover I extending rearwardly to apoint'between the legs E. The lever l is re-enforced by a diagonal brace, 2 connecting the branch and main portions of the lever. The main portions of said levers H and l are located to one side of the cent-er of the skeleton frame, the lever being below and slightly to one side of the lever I, and the end of the lever is connected loosely with the lover I by a link, If, as shown.

The front end of the skeleton frame is supported on a pair of t-ruckwheels, L, the ends or journals of which have bearings in the lower ends of the standards a, and the rear end upon caster-rollers Z, journaled in the lower ends of the legs E.

The truck proper is connected with the levers II and I by means of four depending arms, M, the lower ends of which have a pivotal connection with the branches h and i on knife-edge bearings at points a short distance inwardly from the end bearings of the lever branches on the links.

The skeleton frame D d, &c., is further held in position beneath the truck-frame by means of guides N, preferably four in number, two on each side. The upper ends of the guides are firmly secured to the side rails A, and their lower ends extend downwardly along the sides of the rails D and hook under the same, as shown at n, Fig. 6, to limit the possible movement of the railsD away from the rails A.

The mechanism for balancing the truck on the levers and for ascertaining the weight of anything supported on the truck is constructed as follows: To the under side of the cross-tie d, at the rear or handle endof the truck, depend ing brackets O and P are secured, or said brackets might be formed integral with the legsE or with the cross-ties d, or the cross-tie d, brackets, and legs might be formed integral. The bracket 0 is convenientlyinverted U-shaped, and a graduated beam, Q, to de note the different denominations of weight, is pivoted near one end in the lower ends of the bracket 0 on k nife-edge bearings. The opposite end of the bar Q projects through the loop of the bracket 1?, and a swinging stop, 19, serves to lock the bar Q against an up-anddown movement in theloop of thebracket,as is common in scales. To furtherprovide against a longitudinal movement of the beam Qtransversely of the truck when not in use to weigh, the end of the beam is curved, as shown at q, and when the stop 19 is turned down the beam is securely fastened against such longitudinal movement,which, because of the curved end, must necessarily require the end of the beam to rise.

At a point a short distance from the pivotal support of the beam, and on the opposite side of said pivot from the graduated portion of the beam, the end of the lever I is suspended by a link, R, resting on knife-edge bearings. A balancing-weight, S, is mounted on a bent arm, 8, secured to the short arm of the beam Q, and a poise, T, is mounted on the graduated portion and provided with the usual indexfinger.

The lowermost points of the wheels L and rollers Z are intended to be equally distant from the top of the frame D cl,&c., so that when the said wheels and rollers rest on a plain horizontal surface the frame D d, &c., will be horizontal, and the arms M, which support the truck on the levers, are of such length that when the frame D d, &c., is horizontal the t1'uckframeitself will also be substantially horizontal. Furthermore, the relative position of the wheels L and B is such that when the truck and skeleton frame carrying the levers are horizontal thelowermost parts of the wheels B will be slightly above the surface on which the wheels L stand, as shown in Fig. 3; but when the truck is tilted forwardly into position to be used as a truck, as shown in Fig. 1, the wheels L will be clear from the surface on which the wheels B rest.

\Vhen employed to weigh, the truck is lowered into a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, and the stop 1) turned to set free the end of the beam Q. The weight on the truck will tend to depress the levers H and I, and because of their connection the combined effect will be transmitted to the short arm of the beam Q and the weight ascertained by sliding the poise T along the graduated beam until the parts are in equilibrium, as is usual. The suspending-links will admit of the truck assuming a horizontal position, even though the frame D d be slightly out of horizontal.

Among the advantages secured by the pres ent construction may be mentioned the free dom with which the truck may be moved either forward or backward, whether the handles be elevated or partly depressed, to suit either a tall or short individual, the suspendinglinks and their housing in the skeleton legs and standards, the construction and location of the levers, and the means for preventing the displacement of the several parts.

It is obvious that a spring-balance, substantially like that shown in Patent No. 366,758, above referred to, might be employed in the place of the graduated bar to indicate the weight to a considerable degree of exactness, and that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a truck, of a supporting-frame, wheels mounted thereon, a system oflevers fulcrumed on the said supportingframe, arms connecting the truck with thelevers, and weighing mechanism to indicate the pressure upon the levers, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, a supporting frame, wheels mounted at its forward end, levers fulcrumed on the frame, a truck supported on the levers at points rearward of the truck-supporting wheels to throw the weight ofthe truck wholly on the leverswhen in a horizontal position, and weighing mechanism to indicate the pressure upon the levers, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a supporting frame, wheels mounted thereon, levers fulcrumed in links depending from the frame, a truck counected with and supported upon the levers, and

IIC

weighing mechanism in engagement with the levers, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, a supporting frame, wheels mounted upon the forward end of the same, links depending from the frame, levers fulcrumed at their ends in the links, atruck connected with and supported upon the levers, and weighing mechanism in engagement with the said levers, substantially as setrforth.

5. In combination, asupporting-frame with skeleton legs, depending links housed within the legs, levers fulcrumed on the links, a truck connected with the supporting-frame and supported on the levers in a limited up-and-down movement, and weighing mechanism in connection with the levers, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, a supporting frame, wheels mounted upon the same at its forward end, a pair of levers fulcrumed on the frame and extending toward and overlapping each- 7. In combination, the skeleton frame, the

levers fulcrumed on the frame, the truck supported upon the levers, and the depending guides at the sides of the truck having a loose engagement with the skeleton frame toprevent its displacement, substantially as set forth.

8. The herein-described weighing mechanism as a support for a truck, consisting, essenti ally, of the skeleton frame, the skeleton legs or housings at the corners, the links housed in said legs, the levers fulcrumed in the links, the graduated beam fulcrumed in the frame and connected with the said levers, a balance adjusting weight attached to the graduated beam, a poise secured on the graduated portion of the beam, and a stop to lock the beam against displacement when not in use to weigh, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witncsses.

EDWARD G. COLLLYS.

lVitnesses:

G. A. LINDSAY, A. A. AIUIITAGE. 

